Preview: Yesway Thursday at BOTH
If you’ve never heard the floating, flowing faucet of magical unification that is Yesway don’t panic, they are not very searchable on the interweb, they have been a band for less than a year, and they apparently do not like to go to bars. Worry not, you can catch them tonight at Bottom of the Hill supporting The Botticellis.
You probably know the members of the duo individually by the other projects they are involved in. Emily Ritz is also the main vocalist and ukulele strummer behind the group Honeycomb and has played with Devotionals.
Kacey Johansing not only has quite the solo career but also plays with Honeycomb, The Botticellis, and previously played with The Blank Tapes and pop sensations Geographer. That was her you saw providing backing vocals and keys in the new Thao & Mirah videos.
It always amazes me to see artists who are so immersed in such fantastic projects continue on to have successful offshoots. Who has the time, I wonder, to expend so much energy in so many directions? Those who are fully committed to living and loving creation, and these two definitely expel that sentiment from the very core of their being.
Live, their voices literally melt together, their union wholly complimentary and almost completely necessary as if, after the first note, you can’t imagine life without these very tones falling through the air. Their performances are intimate, like a private conversation in front of a room full of voyeurs. I had the chance to throw a couple of quick questions their way before the show on Thursday in order to try to catch a glimpse of the inner workings of the exquisite pair, and here is what I got in return.
Tell me the 5 things you think people should know about Yesway.
We are in love with each other. We are in love with music. We are in love with all of our brilliant friends. We love our families. We play our music with our knees touching.
Why and how did you come upon the name Yesway?
The two of us toured Europe together last summer co-headlining shows as Kacey Johansing and Honeycomb. After many requests we decided we should record our songs as a duo. While looking through photos and videos from our adventures in Norway we exclaimed, “Norway! No way… YESWAY! And that was it.
How did the two of you meet?
We survived a love triangle.
What music you have been jamming to lately
Tune Yards, The Botticellis, Caribou, The Range of Light Wilderness, Ever Isles…
What are your favorite places in the city to see bands?
Living rooms, beaches, parks…
Lastly, what kind of aquatic plant you would be if you had to be an aquatic plant?
Emily would be coral; Kacey would be a lily pad. Yesway would be kelp.
Yesway play second this Thursday, June 2nd at Bottom of the Hill with The Botticellis, Breathe Owl Breathe, and The Hold Outs. Doors are at 8pm, tickets are $10 and the show is all ages.
